New coach for Persebaya

Persebaya have announced outgoing coach Danurwondo's replacement. It will be former striker Rudy Keltjes. With the transfer window now shut he will have to work with the same players that Danurwindo had for the remainder of the season.

Persija add to the squad

With the transfer window closing in Indonesia Persija have finally added to their squad.In comes Papa Abdou Toure to provide defensive cover. Up front Emalue Serge has been added to the squad. Serge has been in Indonesia for a few years now and speaks the language. He spent the first half of the season with Premier League side Pro Duta.

Saturday, February 27, 2010

So you wanna work in South East Asia?

We keep hearing about how foreign players and coaches have 'difficulties' with their club in this region. It can be lack of payment, lack of information, contradictory information, whatever.So how to make the best of it? How to cut through the cultural differences, avoid the language faux pauxs and have a bloody good laugh? This is my perosnal view with no input from anybody else involved in football. It is though based on something like 18 years in the region.1 - Make an immediate impression on the field. Yeah, I know everyone dreams about netting a hat trick on their debut and it ain't always gonna happen. But work your loody socks off, don't pout and wave your arms in the air every time something goes wrong. One reason Persib have taken Thai keeper Kosin to their hearts is his attitudte is so damned positive when he is on the field.2 - Accept that things are gonna go Pete Tong. Games will be rerranged at the last minute, pitches won't be perfect, no matter how well you play you are 'destined' not to win, your salary will come late...it's nothing personal. Happens to all of us, no point letting your ego take over and get all me, me, me3 - Read some Rudyard Kipling! Don't try and hurry the east 'cos the east ain't for hurrying. You wanna tattoo? Get the first paragraph of the Naulakha4 - Find out where the flow is and follow it. Getting all gobby and diva-ish will not win you any friends despite what your ego may think. Be flexible and when the wind changes direction bend with it.5 - Don't look for logic in decision making because you won't find it. Mine is kept in a left luggage locker at Heathrow Airport and each time I return home I take it out and we reminise over old times.6 - Accept that maybe sometimes the best team just aren't ordained to win. Accept that decisions are made in loftier circles than we move in and these decisions will effect your season.7 - Remember that old terrace ditty from England. You're a bastard referee!8 - Understand that if you win something some geezer you have never come across before will suddenly start hogging photo shoots and interviews. Don't worry about him, he will probably be just a politician wishing to bask in your glory. Just lose a few games if you don't wanna see him again. And lose your job.9 - Get a life. It's hard enough settling into a new area, learning a new lingo and getting used to new food. It's also difficult when everyone wants a piece of a footballer when they win and wanna kill them when they lose. But it is important to try and have some kind of existance beyond the world of football to put things in perspective. Living and working with the same people is a recipe for disaster, it is easy for negativity to seep in and once it does it is hard to escape.10 - And remember that your contract will end one day! This is a fantastic part of the world and the football culture, certainly here in Indonesia, is amazing. Roll with the blows and when you're an old man with grand children your life story will be worth hearing. Certainly more interesting thn someone like Ashley Cole or Wayne Rooney.11 - And finally. Finally not everyone is out to screw you. There are many as passionate about their team as we are and as keen to make things happen as we are. It's just they face all the same problems as above as well!

Where's me money?

Unhappy Brazilian striker Jackson Nogueira has complained to the Vietnam Football Federation that his club HCMC havent't paid him for three months and he went on to say that they didn't care about his injury.The club have responded by saying that they have done nothing wrong.Full story here.

Persebaya looking for new coach

It finally happened. Persebaya, under pressure from fans as well as poor form, finally sacked their coach Danurwindo after only 5,000 fans turned up for their home game against Persijap which they drew 1-1.An impressive start to the season had seen the boys from Surabaya rattling in goals for fun with five against Persisam, four against PSPS and Persiwa seeing them stake an early challenge for the title. But they were shipping goals alarmingly, four against Persija, Persiwa and Persib, and the central defensive pairing of Anderson da Silva and Takashita Uchida looked nervous.Luck plays an incredible but overlooked role in football and had Danurwindo's men received just a bit more then I would not be writing this post. They mullered Persipura at home yet ended losing 1-0. They fought bravely away to Arema only to see a last minute penalty awarded against them in controversial penalties. Lengthy injuries to crucial players like Claude Ngon A Djam Parfait and Anang Ma'aruf also told.But football is a cruel master and the league table a demanding partner. One win in their last seven tells its own tale.Rudy Keltjes is one name being touted as successor.

Finally on Jakarta Casual TV

Singapore League Cup Quarter Finals

25/02 Home United v Gombak United26/02 Tampines Rovers v Woodlands Wellington28/02 Geylang United v Etoile 01/03 SAFFC v Sengkang PunggolSemi Finals03/03 Home/Gombak v Tampines/Woodlands04/03 Geylang/Etoile v SAFFC/Sengkang PunggolIf this was a pony working down a coal mine that had gone blind it would be put out of its misery. This pointless competition has no footballing reason to exist. The same old teams play each other three times during the SLeague, then they have this baloney.Drop this and add eight NFL teams to the Singapore (12 SLeague, 8 NFL, 4 foreign), have eight groups of three teams, mixing up the NFL and League then start the knock out thingy with the eight group winners. If the foreign teams don't fancy the group stage well tuff titty. Let the NFL teams play at stadiums like Jalan Besar and let them take a cut of the gate receipts...if anyone pays to watch that is.Hell, give the players a couple of days off.Whatever, just ditch the League Cup.

Malaysia line up friendly

Malaysia are due to play Yemen this Saturday. The friendly will be at the Bukit Jalil Stadium and tickets cost 10 RM for adults.Penang are due to play Selangor that night so it remains to be seen whether that game goes ahead or whether the Selangor lads will have to head to the island.A later friendly against Togo has been cancelled for technical reasons what ever that may mean. Probably nobody wanted to sit next to Emmanuel Adebayor on the long flight east

VLeague teams

SLeague target new audience

Finally the SLeague has put toegther a weekly highlights package show to be aired on local TV. And instead of aiming at the tired old demographic of silver haired gamblers and school kids they have decided to go for a previously untapped market...one overlooked by the rest of the world.With a 2pm slot the SLeague definitely see a niche among housewives who perhaps are looking for something different and domestic staff. This is a fantastic idea and I look foward to seeing SLeague games jam packed with bored housewives and eager young maids in the near future.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Chinese clubs relegated for match fixing

I'm not going to start covering Chinese football but this story caught my eye. Given that they have four teams in the AFC Champions League, and given that two teams have ben caught cheating, should they continue to have four representatives at Asian football's showcase event?

Belgian Groundhopper hits Thailand

Pat is as mad as a hatter. He's a Belgian groundhopper, a person who gets his jollies from travelling round Europe taking in games at different stadiums.He was recently in Thailand and took in a couple of games there. First up he went to see Pattaya United against BEC Tero then followed that up with Navy Rayong v Pattaya United.Next month he is going to England to catch four games. Forest Green, Wigan Athletic, Everton and Tranmere.My wife thinks I'm bonkers 'cos I take her to see Persikota or Gombak United!There's a whole world of nutters out there. Check out the fruitcakes at European Football Weekends who go to see European Football. At the weekends. And love it.Makes you wonder whether there is anybody sad enough to do an Asian Football Weekends. Meet up for example in KL, Bangkok, whatever, flights are cheap as chips. Alright missus, just off to Bangkok to see BEC Tero play TTM Phichet for the weekend. Don't wait up, love.Of course should anyone pecieve this post as an attack on these fine and honourable gentlemen, who love football and beer passionately, please bear in mind I did not attend a Persikota game last Saturday and tonight I will not be attending Persipura's first ACL game. Oh no siree, I have a life you know...Then again I did take sadness to new depths yesterday, watching Cambodia v Philippines in the Futsal then meeting up with Mark Redshaw and learning that yes, I had seen his old man play.

AFC Futsal Championships Qualifiers

Went to my first Futsal match last night between Cambodia and the Philippines. Now I freely admit I am not totally au fait with the Philippines. I've been there but not that often. I've met and worked with a few over the years. But I never knew they were so big and looked so...Iranian! I'll be posting some images later on Asian Football Pictures

The debate continues

Thailand continues to deal with the repercussions of the violence that erupted during the Muang Thong United v Thai Port game at the weekend.Thai Port are due to host Da Nang in the AFC Cup and it has been announced no Thais will be allowed to enter the stadiumin case they are Thai Port fans in disguise.The club have also apologised for their supporter's bad behaviour when they atttacked Muang Thong fans but they went on to blame lack of security, the Muang Thong and the position of Saturn in relation to Uranus.One fan who was involved said that it was Muang Thong fans who started the trouble and he had only acted in self defence. He went on to describe the other team's fans as 'girly.'The club will aslo ban the trouble makers from two or three games. There...that'll learn 'em

Monday, February 22, 2010

Referees, Central Java & the Police

This is a story that has been mulling around a bit in the local medoa. I had hoped the Jakarta Globe might do something about it but not yet. I'm not sure of all the details so if someone could give me some info I would be grateful...my Indonesian is failing me!UPDATE - and here it is!

Sunday, February 21, 2010

10 Years Pasoepati

Persis Solo have never hit the heights in my short time of covering Indonesian football. They have great support, known as the Pasoepati, and they have a great stadium, Manahan, right by the railway station.This is Pasoepati's 10th year of following their beloved team and there is a fascinating trip down memory lane on their website which you can find here...albeit in Indonesian.I love this kind of shit. If only because I'm a sad old git living off my Arsenal memories from back in the 79s and 80s when I, with the figure of a twig and the personality of an unheated British Rail cornish pasty, began my own adventures home and away with the Arse. Solo has had a few teams over the years including Arseto, Persijatim and Pelita Jaya all seting up base there.Talking of Arseto, before my time obviously, a certain Isman Jasulmai used to play for them. He is back in Solo now but as coach of Persis. I had hoped to do a Persis feature when they played Persikab this Friday but I can't now. Game has been moved back 24 hours...

Three more points for Persema

Recent crowd disturbances in South East Asia

Indonesia

Persebaya fans travelling to and from Bandung left a trail of destruction including at least one dead fan and several injuries. The Mataram Derby between PSIM and PSS was abandoned on 66' after home fans invaded the pitch. PSMS fans have twice gone wild after recent home games while Persiraja fans went on one last week.

Thailand

Thai Port fans had a pop at Muang Thong United fans. Dunno about you but this is rather like 1980s vintage Millwall ruffling a few feathers at Watford when they were known as the family club.

Malaysia

A couple of encounters between Kelantan and Selangor ended up getting quite messy with Kelantan banned from playing home games at home after cars were damaged by rioting fans

Singapore

A recent SAFFC home game was marred when fans went on the rampage after finding out free supplies of ice cream had run out. One fan was seen to break his wooden fork and throw both pieces to the floor while Madam Low was sufficiently upset enough to pen an epistle to The New Paper blaming the ice cream manufacturer for not making enough of the free stuff available on such a warm evening.

One irate fan was seen sending an e mail to another newspaper saying this would never have happened if Singapore had stayed in the Malaysia Cup while another asked why today's players weren't as polite as Fandi Ahmad and when would his kids be ready to play for the national team anyway

Crowd trouble hits Thai football

Thai football has grown used to incidents on the field what with walk offs but yesterday saw the trouble on the terraces as Thai Port met Muang Thong United in the Kor Royal Cup at the Supachalasai Stadium in Bangkok.There is a You Tube clip here, the Bangkok Post has its say here while Greg at the Muang Thong United blog has his satang's worth and plenty of images hereGiven all the images on line there is absolutely no reason why many of the faces shown actively involved, and walking round the pitch with a stick is being involved, should not be waiting for a visit soon from Sgt Nop and the boys in brownObviously never saw the game but one thing looks clear from the reports I have seen and that is the role of security. There is no crowd control period in this part of the world. OK, Singapore has no crowds but in Thailand and Indonesia there is no attempt to take preventitive measures.I saw a game recently where the security responded to racks being thrown on the field by tear gassing a section of the home support. Said fans got upset and climbed the fences, getting on the pitch. Security jumped in the nearest TARDIS and disappeared leaving the fans to do what they want.The Thais have done a great job with the game there over the last 12 months. Now they face a different kind of challenge. Is this the start of a trend or is it a one off? Are Thai stadiums with their meccano stands and little in the way of safety apparatus able to handle fans who want to throw more than placcy bottles?An aside but a few years back I started write a book about Thai football hooligans...guess which team they were following?!UPDATE just been texting former Thai Port striker Pipat Thongkaya and he said he was very sad about what had happened.

Clubless Muslim fancies Slovakia

Begs the question of why, if he is in the national team, he can't find a club but his logic is spot on. Hold on, Malaysia, football and logic all in the same positive sentence. That has to be a first for this site!Full story here

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Next on Jakarta Casual TV

Hopefully to be uploaded tomorrow, if I can get to the pub, will be interviews with Persija and Indonesia striker Bambang Pamungkas, as well as Sriwijaya duo Precious Emuejeraye and Keith Kayamba Gumbs. If you wanna know what makes them tick, how they like to make chocolate cake, what their favourite colour is or what they think about Tiger Woods' amarous activities then look elsewhere 'cos I never asked those daft questions.Nope, I asked other daft questions...so look out for more head shots and slight camera shake caused by all the seismic activity around us in the next Jakarta Casual TV

So, what are you up to over the next few days?

I was talking with a couple of players the other day and noticed how much travelling they were, or were not, looking forward to over the next couple of weeks.Sriwijaya, for example, are off to the Maldives for AFC Cup action. Well, most of them are. Precious Emuejeraye for one is not looking forward to any beach time as he will be joining up with the Singapore national team as they prepare for a trip to Jordan for their final Asian Cup qualifier.Joining Precious will be Baihakki Kaizan who he played against in the ISL at Bung Karno on Friday afternoon bit one international not joining them is Mustafic Fahruddin. The midfielder is suspended from the Jordan game so he prepared for a few lazy days by being carried off in the same game a few times.Indonesia have their own trip to look forward to with a flight to Brisbane to take on a meaningless game against Australia. A long way to go for Benny Dollo's last game in charge with no chance of qualification and, to make matters worse, three days after the game they have an ISL game to get ready for. After a five hour transit in Sydney.As I type this Kosin is playing his last game for Persib against Persisam. On Tuesday the Thai international keeper flies back to Thailand, along with Pipat Thongkaya, to get ready for the Thais own Asian Cup qualifier. But while Pipat will return Kosin won't so expect an emotional send off later tonight as he throws his gloves into the fans one last time.Things are no less tiring for ISL Champions Persipura. Fresh from playing a couple of home games back in Jayapura, the Black Pearls have ACL action next Tuesday against Jeonbuk in Jakarta, about a six hour flight from Papua, then many of that team will be heading off to Brisbane with the national team.In contrast Geylang United's schedule seems somewhat tame. After playing young Lions in the pointless League Cup they then host Hong Kong side Tai Po at Jalan Besar, just a few stops west on the MRT.The players may have a gripe about the gruelling schedules but one thing is worse. And that is not having a busy schedule.

Results 20/02

Kosin Hathairantanakul's last game for Persib Bandung before returning to the quieter life with Chonburi in the Thai Premier League. While the sub text was about the Thai international there were still points at stake and Persisam turned in what must be one of their better away performances, certainly the best I've seen them yet it still wasn't enough.

Pipat looked good first half, new signing Choi Dong Soo impressed with a couple of good efforts and even Danilo Fernando did some running.

With three minutes on the clock and the game won sentiment for once ruled in Indonesian football as Kosin was replaced by new signing Markus Horison, allowing the Thai to receive his own personal standing ovation from the adoring fans who had been chanting his name for five minutes non stop.Indonesia Premier LeaguePersikota v Gresik United 2-2(Daniel Bikoni 2; Isman, David)

Not a bad game as it happens with plenty of chances at both ends on a real muddy pitch. The highlight was Bikoni's second goal which burst the back of the net. And when you consider the power with which he hit the bloody thing, or lack thereof, it was some achievement...unless of course you wanna be negative and suggest the net had more holes than the M25Singapore League CupGeylang United v Young Lions 0-0 792 (Geylang win on pens)Singapore's own irrelevant cup kicks off with Singapore Cup winners Geylang United hosting the Young Lions at Bedok Stadium. Geylang of course have bigger things on their mind with the AFC Cup next week. Shit crowd 'cos Man United are on TV

Cambodia's bid for Futsal glory

Catch my preview of Cambodia's chances in this weekend AFC Futsal Championship qualifiers in Jakarta in the Phnom Penh Post. I actually wrote more than that but it looks like the editor got busy with the scissors!

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Ian Gray RIP

Shocked to just now read about the death of Ian Gray. Definite blast from the past. Never met the guy, knowingly at least, but certainly hurled abuse at him in the old NSL in Australia when he was part of the great Marconi team of them days.

Cambodian Premier League

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Persema v Persebaya 3-1

This is what I love about Indonesian football. I can watch a game purely as a neutral and not give a toss who wins. It's been fun watching both these teams this season. Persema may lack the big names but there is a wonderful team ethic that flows through the eleven players on the field. None of the pouting or arm waving so called big names like to indulge in, these guys just get on with it.Persebaya play the sexy football with John Tarkpor at the heart of everything that is good. Their downfall, as it has been for most of the season, is a defence who like to play statues once in a while.Former Persebaya striker Jairon Feliciano, the Serbian speaking Brazilian, gave the home team a two goal lead. John Tarkpor hit back with a spectacular 40 yard free kick to make it 2-1 and a potentially nervy ending for the home team.But coach Subangkit is a canny operator. Earlier in the season against Persipura he took advantage of a perceived weakness in keeper Jendri Pitoy's handling to see his side earn a well deserved win by peppering him with long range efforts. Today he had his team bomb down the flanks looking for the delivery that would have the Persebaya defenders caught stationary and bugger me, moments after Tarkpor's effort, who should be at the back stick with all the time in the world but defender Pierre Patrick Seme to make it 3-1.After defeating Persib at the weekend coach Danurwindo must have been breathing a bit easier. Now though the knives will be out one more time and things don't get any better for the beleaguered coach. Next up is an away game against their bitterest rivals and ISL leaders Arema.Who'd be a coach?

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Persikota reject former Johor striker

Persikota, struggling in the Premier League, have rejected the chance to sign Diego Mendieta. Formerly with PSSB and Johor FC Mendieta had been on trial with the Tangerang side but the club decided not to sign him before the transfer window shut last week.UPDATE - Now comes news he may be linking up with Persitara

Pesults 14/02

Indonesia Super LeaguePersiba v Arema 1-0 (Feri Ariawan) 6,500First against second in Balikpapan with the home team just shaving it despite Arema, the Crazy Lions, having the, umm, lion's share of the possession but little troubled I Made Wirawan in the home team's goal. Indeed when it comes to collecting win bonuses Made should be feeling a tad sheepish 'cos he did very little all afternoon. Persiba are now five points behind Arema.Persebaya v Persib 2-1 (Taufik, OG; Hilton Moreira) 29,485Danurwindo rang the changes and saw his Persebaya team turn in a much improved performance against high flying Persib. Taufik gave them the lead after he reacted quicker than Kosin in the first half. Dropped were Josh Maguire and Takashoti Uchiba after many headlines suggesting that Danurwindo 's reign was nearing an end. This performance might well have him breathing a bit easier.Indonesia Premier LeaguePSAP v Persires 2-0PSSB v Persih 1-0PSMS v Persita 1-1Semen Padang v Persikabo 2-0Persis v PSIS 0-3Persigo v PSBI Blitar 4-0Persiku v Persibo 1-0PSIR v Mojokerto Putra 2-1

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Redshaw confirms signing

Mark Redshaw has finally signed for Persitara in the Indonesia Super League following lengthy negotiations. His old man who used to play for Wigan Athletic, wondered if he played in the Freight Rover Trophy Final against Brentford, is not much older than me which is worrying. Equally worrying is meeting a Brentford fan recently who said he was too young to remember that final.Good. Finally get to talk football with someone for whom English is his first language though not sure he will be too keen to rabbit on with some sad old git who probably saw his old man play back when shorts were short, we sat in the stand and could go see a game, have a few beers and fish n chips and still have a change out of a tenner.UPDATE - now looks like the deal has been cancelled! The club have given financial worries as the reason...

Guest Column - Dale Farrington

As recently as October, 2008 I was at the Thunderdome in a crowd of less than 300 people. And, if it hadn’t been for the two coach loads of SriRacha fans who were also in the stadium, which at the time consisted of just one stand, it would have been considerably less. When you bear in mind that, even though they were top of the league, they brought no fans whatsoever to Assumption for the two clubs meeting earlier that season (unless you count the minibus full of African schoolboys from M. Procurer’s academy) then their rise in popularity is astounding.

There’s no doubt that the unparalleled increase in numbers and rapidly growing fan base is down to the success they enjoyed in 2009 – when they won the TPL title at the first attempt – but is also thanks to shrewd marketing - glossy programmes/magazines, dvds, a wide range of top quality sportswear etc - and the performances on the pitch. They were easily the best footballing side in the top flight last year and, I even went as far to say on one of the Thai football messageboards, that they ranked as one of the top three or four teams in Thailand during their march to the 1st division title in 2008.

However, as much as MTUFC have done to boost the popularity of the Thai domestic game, and make themselves a few quid into the bargain, we need to go back a couple of years to find the genesis of this phenomenon. When my club, Chonburi FC, won the TPL title in 2007 we were amazingly the first provincial team to do so. For years the league had been dominated by the Bangkok based forces and company sides and no-one else got a look in. And hardly anybody turned up to watch. But our success changed all that. It showed that provincial sides could succeed, if managed correctly, and that the locals would turn out in force to support “their” team.

It didn’t happen overnight for Chonburi but the gradual success on the pitch, and rise in attendances off it, helped us to become a role model for other clubs. Even though I’ve been attending Thai football matches since 1997 I didn’t see a matchday programme until Chonburi produced one for the battle of the top two in the Pro League in 2005. Replica kit was also notoriously hard to come by – even for the national team – but Chonburi have had a stall outside the ground for every home game since the start of the 2005 season and also sells shirts and scarves etc at away matches. It took a while for other clubs to catch on but now virtually all the TPL clubs sell merchandise and some even have club shops which are open during the week.

This is one of the areas in which MTUFC have really taken the baton from Chonburi and moved things on to an entirely different level.

Their marketing arm is second to none and I would wager that a lot of clubs in England, where such things have been around for years, would be more than impressed, not to say envious, with the set up. Of course it helps that their benefactor is a media mogul but these things still need to be done properly and so far, from an objective point of view, they seem to be getting it right.

They have also set new standards elsewhere, with well organized and efficient ticketing arrangements – they are selling season tickets!!!! – a regularly updated easy to navigate website – with an English language option - and the club appears to treat its fans with a great deal of respect (I have issues as to how the 5,000 visiting Chonburi fans were (mis)managed last season but that’s a story for another day).

The stadium too now has four sides, with the stands all close to the pitch – like it should be – and is the first purpose built football only ground in the kingdom. It also has executive boxes and a new pitch is being laid in readiness for the start of the 2010 season. Everything about the Thunderdome complies with the stringent AFC guidelines and should be a fine sight under floodlights on AFC CL or AFC Cup evenings. My only real gripe here is that the three new stands are metal structures which were erected in haste for the visit of Chonburi late last season. Maybe this is something that MTUFC will regret in the near future.

After Chonburi’s victory over Melbourne in the AFC CL in March 2008, I wrote to the BKK Post in response to an article praising the club for everything they’d done to raise the profile of Thai domestic football. The crux of my letter was that, as much as I was pleased with what we’d achieved, I didn’t want us to become too big for the league and I encouraged others to go out and support their local teams. Two years on MTUFC are in a similar position. They are in real danger of leaving everyone in their wake. They can afford to pay top salaries and fans from all over the country will always love a successful club – dare I make comparisons with Manchester United at this point. They do deserve enormous credit for reaching the point they are at currently – with the promise of more to come – but Thai football as a whole needs to keep up.

Rather worryingly there have also been one or two signs recently that MTUFC have tried to influence FAT policy – overseas players rules, the starting date of the TPL season etc – and lean on the national team manager as to who he should and shouldn’t pick. There is also a real danger that, as they are owned and run buy the same family who own and run Siam Sport, newspaper and TV reporting won’t be objective. There were certainly one or two high profile incidents last season when television footage highlighted perceived wrongdoings against MTUFC while misdemeanours by their own players were quickly glossed over. These are the kind of things that could backfire on the club and they need to ensure that they keep everything above board.Jakarta Casual Note - I recently did a piece about Muang Thong United for the SLeague website ahead of their game against SAFFC and asked for some of his thoughts. He came up with this so we decided to put it all on here...Dale has his own blog about Chonburi which you can find here

Persisam v Persija 0-0

It was a result that suited neither team. Persisam as they seek to extract themselves from a relegation morass, Persija with an eye on ISL glory.Both teams had the ball in the back of the net, both teams saw their efforts wiped out thanks to exceedingly good vision from the match officials so looking solely at this match you could say that title challengers Arema, Persiba, Persib, Persipura and Sriwijaya would be feeling pretty bloody smug tonight.Except that all five clubs have yet to visit Jakarta where the Kemayoran Tigers are unbeaten. Suddenly the 10 points separating the top five doesn't seem that daunting

Follow up on the Yogyakarta derby

Yesterday's game between PSIM Yogyakarta and PSS Sleman was abandonded on 66 minutes. In my write up yesterday I mentioned how visiting players were pelted with rocks and after the second incident the ref took the players off the field.PSIM fans tried to calm down the hotheads, ususally by waving their arms around and by yelling oi, oi, but what happened next only made matters worse. Tear gas was fired at the supporters, and hooligans, indiscriminately reducing everyone in the area to tears. This of course only inflamed tempers even more and spectators invaded the pitch and broke a few things.The visiting players and supporters weren't able to get away from the stadium until about 7.30 as officials tried to prevent the situation from worsening while several fans were taken to local hospitals.Hmm...

Persib take title challenge east

With Persebaya coach Danurwindo apparently being told he has three games to turn things around in the City of Heroes the last thing he will want to do is prepare his side to take on a high flying Persib Bandung. But that's what he has to do with Persib hitting town and form for Sunday's game. They won't be alone either with an estimated 2,000 fans making the long journey east even as I write this.After the Persib game, Persebaya face two away games in the city of Malang against title challengers Arema and the hard working Persema.

PSIM Yogyakarta v PSS Sleman1-1

Yogyakarta is the most visited tourist destination on the island of Java. Famous for Borobodor Temple, Prambanan plus the historic palace at the heart of the city. The nearby coast is filled with ancient Javanese mysticism. Yogya's special place in Indonesia is shown by the fact that it is a Special Zone rather than a more mundane province.It is also home to a number of football teams two of which collieded head on in this Premier League game shown live on TV.Neither team has set the Premier League alight this season with PSIM bottom of Group 3 and PSS just one place above them and a derby after all is still a derby.With the terraces packed fans of the home team spilled over the fences pitch side while 2,000 visiting fans were put in a corner next to the main stand. During a scrappy first half one match ball disappeared into the crowd only for cameras to pick out a fan tossing it to a mate of his despite the fact that a few fans were telling him not to be so daft.On about 67 minutes, after a PSS player had been felled by a rock for a econd time, the ref took the players off the field. Home fans invaded the pitch and basically did what the hell they wanted . No crowd control at all...Shame really. The first player to have rocks thrown at was called Awank and he later got a red card. There has to be a headline in there somewhere.On Wednesday a Persik fan died when the Brawijaya Stadium was filled to overflowing while on the same day rioting broke out in Medan after the home team, PSMS, lost at home to Persikabo

Persebaya fans unhappy

Following Persebaya's 2-0 home defeat by Sriwijaya midweek a group of irate fans went to the team's headquarters to make their displeasure known. Particular targets were coach Danurwindo as well as one of the players.Just three wins in their last 13 games (W3 D3 L7) has seen the club stuck just above the relegation zone, just three points off a play off spotThe club have been hit by injuries, especially striker Claude Ngon A Djam Parfait, but defensive lapses have cost them big time.This weekend they play Persib with their fans promising some kind of protest.

Persib to reach a wider audience?

One story doing the rounds of Indonesian language websites this morning has Persib Bandung negotiating with ESPN Star Sports to show their games to the region.The articles I have seen have quotes just from the Persib side.Persib have been performing well on the pitch lately with two defeats in their last 12 games. Off the field they have been successfull attracting a number of sponsors for their shirt as well as regulalrly filling their Jalak Harupat Stadium for home games.If this news is true obviously it would be wonderful for Indonesian football as well of course as Persi. If, that is, it is true.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

The Ginger Pele and other St George legends

Back in my old Austraia days I used to follow a team called St George in the old NSL. There were a number of reasons for this, not least that their St George Stadium seemed the easiest to get to. No one I asked seemed to know where Lambert Park or Edensor Park were but Rockdale was just a short train ride from the Eastern Suburbs I made home for a few years.In my first game they (we) played Marconi Fairfield who had a guy called Frank Farina playing for them and I remember thinking he weren't a bad player. St George had players like Mike Gibson, Craig Moffit and Andy Koscka. That was another reason to support them. Their names were easier to remember.That first year St George went on to win the NSL beating mighty APIA Leichhardt in the Grand Final at Parramatta Stadium in front of 6,000 ++ fans.We had some great players at St George when I was supporting them and I'm pleasantly surprised to learn that some of them are still involved in the game in one capacity or another.Scott Ollerenshaw was probably never known as the Ginger Pele among those of us who drank ourselves daft following the Saints but he done a job for us. Andy Harper scored a few goals in our last ever NSL season. Indeed he hit a brace as we beat Sydney Croatia 3-0 in our last ever game and he gave me his shirt after the game which sad to say went missing on one of my frequent moves. He certainly scored more goals than Wikipedia gives him credit!John Filan had a pretty good career after leaving the Saints, playing in England for many years. He went down in St George immortality with his own song We've got that Johnny Filan which used to echo round the empty stadium sang by all eight of us. He was gobsmacked one chilly March morning to see me at Burnely wearing Andy's shirt!Zoran Ilic was a cult hero. When Pele came to our stadium for a game against marconi we all went behind the goal and chanted our hero's name in betwen hurling abuse at the aging Brazilian. We all agree, Ilic is better than Pele. You had to be there.Osvaldo El Ali was our Argentinian hero. He was no Maradona. In fact he was probably more Peron than Veron but never mind eh? And what kind of name was that anyway?One final blast from the past. Tony Krslovic. He was making an impact in the NSW State League including a hat trick in one game against Canterbury Marrickville Olympic but I left and never find out what happened to him.Happy days...

One leg play offs

There is a piece in Thai Football News about why the recent ACL Play Offs were played as single leg games and if they are to be single leg then why not at a neutral venue.After losing to SAFFC last weekend Muang Thong United had a little whinge about the ref, reminding anyone that he had sent two visiting players off at a similar stage last season.So why are games one off? Once upon a time, a far simpler time, all cup competitions were one off. It was what made them such compelling viewing. Not today of course. Now they are cash cows.Be sure of one thing though. Had a team, no names, lost a play off played on a home and away basis, you don't need crystal balls to see that they would have a whinge about a heavy fixture list with plenty of travelling involved even before their own season had started.And imagine a game were to be played at a neutral venue as a one off. Imagine a Singapore team playing a Vietnamese team in KL. Guess what the reaction would be from the Vietnamese if they lost...KL is closer to Singapore, it ain't fair.It's a no win situation for the AFC. nd if it's true they don't pay travelling expenses for the qualifiers then sure as hell a neutral venue ain't gonna appear any time soon. So, rather like democracy, it looks like we're stuck with what we may have. It may be crap but then it's better than anything else.IRRELEVANT COMMENT - looking at the headline I am desparate to include a one liner about Scousers getting legless but just can't fit it in somehow. Guess I'll have to let it be.

Arema win again but Persipura continue to climb

Arema will be a bunch of happy campers after defeating PSM 2-0 in Makassar. Results elsewhere mean that Robert Albert's men move eight points clear after 18 games.Second placed Persiba needed a late equaliser from Mijo Dadic to ean a point against a dogged Persema who had taken the lead through M Kamri. After the game Robbie Gaspar, who used to play for Persiba, told me he was disappointed his team did not collect three points as he felt they had played very well.I talked the other day about Persib's recent fine form. Persipura are also on a roll with a hat trick from Boas Solossa earning them the points away to Persela, a notoriously difficult place for an away team to get anything. For Persipura a ninth game unbeaten (W5 D4) has seen them climb menacingly up the table and now the champions sit fourth, 11 points behind Arema but well and truly in a rich vein of form.Persija's climb has been steady if unspectacular. new signing Firman Utin netted on his debut but a late penalty saw them come away with only a single point and one player wondering whether or not the linesmen had arm ache.One defeat in 14 games for the Kemayoran Tigers but just six wins sees them a point behind Persipura in fifth.I have no idea what is happening to Persebaya. A defeat at home to Sriwijaya makes it three straight losses and they now sit 12th, the free flowing football from erlier in the season now a distant memory1 - Arema 18 12 3 3 23-8 392 - Persiba 18 9 4 5 25-15 313 - Persib 18 9 3 8 28-19 30

Another dead football fan

Yesterday's overcrowding at Brawijaya Stadium during the Persik v Persib match saw a Persik fan crushed to death. A number of questions go spinning through my mind.1 - Who allowed the stadium to be oversold?2 - Where were the security officials?Of course last month a Persebaya fell to his death after falling off a train and there have been, unfortunately, countless other deaths of young lads on their to or from football. And nothing gets done.Let's look at the first question. Who knows? Certainly at a recent Persebaya game the stadium was filled to over flowing, fans outside went on the rampage. They did at a Persija game as well. But in Soreang the police allowed Persebaya fans into the stadium rather than have them roam the streets.Brawijaya Stadium holds 15,000 fans. I have never been there so have no idea whether or not the overcrowding could have been preventable but what do the security people do on such occassions? Risk a riot outside or overcrowding inside?Like I've said before, all ticket matches are not yet an option here.Indonesia is notorious for its reluctance to queue yet that is slowly changing. People do now queue at ATM machines and when they check in at airports. But them folk ain't the football demographic.The fact is, if some kid dies at a football match no one really gives a shit. There were a couple of suicides at shopping malls in Jakarta recently and they took up the headlines with them dreaded psychiatrists crawling out the woodwork and even counselling offered for them poor middle class tossers who had their shopping so violently interuppted by plummeting people.But the lads at the football are I guess considered expendable. They are allowed, by society, to overcrowd trains and stadiums and they are left, by society, to face the consequences of society's apathy.

Patrons my arse

I was having a gander at the match ticket for the SAFFC match at the weekend and saw that fans are being called patrons! What's that all about?A fan is a fan. Maybe a supporter but fan is better. What's with all this tossing around, trying to gentrify the game, almost as if the powers that be are ashamed of the working class roots of the game.They are of course. Netting sponsors is difficult when they find out their target audience don't have two pennies to rub together. Better to create an illusion that conveniently sweeps football's heritage under the carpet much like they have done in England.Sorry AFC but if you want patrons then go to the opera. Stick to important matters like why some teams prove unbeatable at home or why some refs always favour the home team. Don't have some spotty Manchester United supporting desk jockey who has never seen a local game in his life have any responsibility or he might start thinking. And decide patrons is a good word to use for football fans.

Tuesday, February 09, 2010

Persib continue their good form

Persib's recent rise up the table continues after this convincing 3-1 away to Persik Kediri. The Brawijaya Stadium is never an easy place to go to, just one team has ever won there in Indonesia's top league, but they were totally in control of this game in difficult conditions.The stadium was packed, so much so that fans spilled on to the field, standing just feet away from the touchline. which worried Jaya Hartono at the start of the second half with his team leading 1-0 through Hilton Moreira.Christian Gonzales made it 2-0 in the second half before a somewhat iffy penalty given to Persik allowed them back in the game. However another quick break down Persik's right, a successful ploy that had seen Gonzales score, saw Hilton break again to secure the points.Two defeats in 12 games...that be the kind of form that win titles and for now Persib sit level on points with Persiba sharing second place.Another severe test lies ahead as they play Persebaya at the weekend